Hi everyone,

i have a problem which is now i am sure my stud dogs problem, he sired a healthy litter of 9 on his first mating with my own bitch, 2 ties and several slips that was in 2004. however he has since mated 3 different bitches and my own bitch again, totalling 5 different matings over the past 3 years. out of these 5 he has sired 2 litters of 2!!! very rare in my breed. has mated in the past 4 months my own 2 bitches both failing to concieve, both have had a healthy litter previous, one of which was with him. anyway i know this is long and complicated but i now am sure the problem must be my boy as his last 4 matings with 3 different bitches have all produced nothing. i am using another beautiful stud on my girl who had 9 in 2004 but i wondered if you think i should get her swabbed incase my boy has an infection and has passed this on, also putting her on AB's prior and a few days after mating??? do you think this is safe?
the other point to mention is that since his very first mating in 2004 when he tied twice, he has never ever tied on any matings since which is a real puzzle?? why would this be and do you think this is part of the conception problems too, though he has sired two litters of 2 without any ties, but clearly very small litter so thought this may be partly the reason. would love to hear what some people think and if they have ever experienced anything like this. what would be the plan of action now with my 2 bitches that have both missed to him?  i am a responsible breeder and love my babies, all are hip scored - also one of my girls has just been thyroid tested as this was a thought i had and she has tested normal.
any views would be greatly appreciated.

I would check for infection, but I would also ask the vet to do a 'sample check' ;) That way you would know if his sperm is very active, or a bit sluggish.

Hi,
It is usally the bitch that is the problem if they do not tie. It is the bitch that holds on to the dog not the dog the bitch The bitches may not have been ready.
Regards
Denese

Of course if the dog is rather small, and the bitch bigger there may not be enough for the bitch to hold onto, so no tie, not uncommon in some toy breeeds where the owners resort to holding the male in place.

I suspect that contact may have been of insufficient duration to get enough semen to where it needed to go. the tie does cause a vacuum and it seems helps with things getting to where they need to go, as the bitches tract is very long compared to some other animals and ourselves.

I would have had the dogs ejaculate tested though after he had had two bitches miss to him.

The bitch dictates how many puppies are conceived - she produces the eggs to be fertilised.  If your boy has sired 2 litters of 2 then I would say it's either that the bitch's egg quality isn't very good (natures way); that she was mated at a time when she wasn't ready (hence the lack of eggs to fertilise) or just that she doesn't produce that many eggs.  If your boy has the ability to sire 2 pups he will be producing millions more sperm to be able to produce 10 given the right circumstances.

Like it's been said before, it's the bitch that clamps her muscles down onto the dog not the dog hanging onto the bitch - although he does have a knot at the base to assist with this.  Did you feel it on previous ties?

If you *think* he has an infection or has had in the past and may have passed it on then check him out and take the appropriate action.  Having an infection won't normally affect their ability to sire pups or be held in a tie.

What is your breed?

Hi all,

i know that it is supposed to be the bitch that holds the dog however if find it hard to see how 4 different bitches have failed to hold him. all the bitches he has been mated to have been available for him to mate throughout their season as i allow every other day for as long as both parties are interested. the other two are both mine and are here so again he has covered a very wide span in their seasons so to have missed the optimum day for all 4 bitches would be extremely unlucky!!! He also on most matings goes through the tie process (which looks a tad uncomfortable) just outside of the bitch. i have tried holding him to the bitch but he doesnt appreciate any interferance and is rather heavy to hold when all he wants to do is get off!

i have spoken to my vet who has advised me with regards to my bitches next matings to cover them both with a broad spectrum antibiotic from day 1 of their seasons to a few days after they finish matings. has anyone had healthy litters with a bitch on AB's.

both bitches have produced a litter of nine previously and both tied on both matings too so the bitches are capable of achieveing a tie, the stud must play some part in the tie, and i think maybe he doesnt penetrate deep enough and the bulb swells outside. 3 consecutive misses to my own 2 bitches has been very dissappointing.i am getting my girl who is due in season in nov swabbed before i put her to my new boy, then it will be interesting to see the outcome of those matings. This will be my babies 3rd and last litter so really want success. any further advise or past experiences would be very greatly appreciated.

The first thing to do would be to have a sperm sample checked for fertility. That could give your answer in one.

I'd wonder if it was a handler error I'm afraid, when you say he goes through the tie process outside the bitch? It's no wonder they're not conceiving :D Although he doesn't appreciate any help he should get used to it. I would use him on your bitch if thats what you initially intended to do. Start as early as the bitch will stand and guide him in adn hold him there till he's tied. if he just loses interest when you try and help then fine, take him away and try again the next day. Eventually he'll be so keen he won't mind your help hopefully :)

well i would like to think i know what i am doing, as i have said in an earlier post i always mate from when the bitch will except up until one or the other is no longer interested so dates are not an issue here. he gets on and in fine but as soon as he has done the 'tip toeing' (you know what thats all about) he is off like lightening. The more i try to keep him in place the quicker he is off so i have tried several times just standing back and allowing him to do things his way as my bitches are VERY co-operative little flirts, as maybe me being there is what he doesnt like but it makes no difference at all. reagrding tieing outside the bitch this happened twice with litters of 2 so you dont need a tie to deliver sperm.
i wont use him again on my bitch as she has now missed twice and this will be attempt 3 so we are 18 months down the line and it is very dissapointing and time is running out for her last litter. i am saddened by this as he is a stunning male, ch sired, great hips and most of all superb temperament.
his libido is not exactly rageing! The last two times, (both my 2 bitches) he never ever actually had his crazy days where before he used to scream the house down when they were at their peak. i had one of my girls in with another girl of mine, both in season a day apart and he never even wimpered for them once.
he is now 5 and a half years old and i dont think he will ever tie again!
i appreciate all comments and advise though i do feel i am fighting a losing battle some how
maybe it is just not meant to be for some unknown reason!

I have had dogs turn and died within seconds of mounting a bitch. 

The same dog two days earlier tied himself outside the bitch, so I thought the same thing had happened and was surprised at how quickly he tied. 

Another male I tried to use kept tying himself outside the bitch as she kept moving and he wasn't confident with the (bolshy bitch maiden dog).  Same dog with a  sweet gentle bitch soon got the hang of things and could mate a bitch like a rat up a drainpipe.

Could there be a problem with your boys back preventing him getting quite as far as he needs to go.

Of course as has been said already the simplest thing would be to test his fertility by having a reproductive specialist look at a sperm sample..

DIED

I would also have all the bitches tested for any infection etc. as one of them may have passed something onto him making him sterile.

uuuummmmmmmmm some studs really need a littlke help in the tieing department,and need to be pushed and held just at the right moment,if he is busy thrusting away,when the large bulb bit comes out before he's inside the bitch it stands to reason no tie will be achieved,you need as soon as the tippy toeing part is happening to give him a good hard shove and hold them together,you do need someone at head end of bitch to sort of be in front of her to prevent her from going forward at that moment,but if your dog is used to being handled then this should not be too difficult to achieve
good luck
Wendy

Hi Wendy,

Thanks for your advise, i have always had someone hold the bitch for me (though my 2 dont move the little flirts!) so he is not slipping out due to the bitch. The only problem now is a am going to use my new boy who has just been hip scored on her next season in nov and see what happens there. though i may try him next year with my other girl who is a little younger so a bit more time to play with there. Thanks again and i hope i can get her in whelp in november!
i would like to have my boys sperm count tested for my own piece of mind but my own vet does not deal with these matters.
does anyone know of a vet that will collect the sample in the cambridgeshire area as my own vet advised you need to collect the sample and test it immediately so collection at home is no good (not that i really fancy that to be honest!!!!)

I hate to even think how you'd go about getting a sample??? 

Over the years, I've had a couple of my boys tested.  Some vets seem to be rather over sensitive in this department!!  I would have thought that any vet should be able to have a look at a sample under a microscope to see if there are actually sperm present, and if they are deformed or not moving properly.  Two of my boys have had a sample taken without needing an in season bitch available.  It depends on how easy your boy is to handle

You're right about vets being 'rather over sensitive' :D My vets wouldn't do a collection either, even though I offered to actually do it! To get my boy checked I had to go to the vet college at the Bush Estate (where they cloned Dolly the sheep), didn't see Dolly though :D

::::edited to stop JG choking :D

Breeders and stud dog owners can't be squeamish or prissy about the messier details! :D

>To get my boy checked I had to go to the Bush

*slaps own wrist for being saucy*

is that better :D ???

This lady actually comes to you gets the sample and tests it there and then.  Petscan 01908 560870, she is in the Milton Keynes area but travels all over

Same way as the Vet, it is called mast*rb*tion, or manual stimulation. 

Your Vet can so it quite easily, but may find it distasteful, but so is putting your arm up a cow.  He may not have the equipment to test the sperm or interpret what he sees. 

A reproductive Vet is what you want in that case, and I would expect to be able to be refereed by my won vet same as any other specialisation..

oops, tied